The Friend Of My Friend
by secretfanficlover
Summary: House: Hufflepuff Year/Role: Year 4 Category: Pre-Round Prompt: Verity's ship (Remus/Severus) Au Cannon, Marauders' era. Remus Lupin/ Serverus Snape friendship (pre-ship). Drama/ Friendship/Angst


**This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

**House: Hufflepuff**

**Year/Role: Year 4**

**Category: Pre-Round**

**Prompt: Verity's ship (Remus/Severus)**

**Word Count: 1714**

**Au Canon, ****Marauders ****era.**

Prefect Prompt-

Au Canon, Marauders era.

Remus Lupin/Severus Snape friendship (pre-ship).

Drama/Friendship/Angst

_Remus had gone camping with his parents in the woods, and being a teen, he went off on his own and unbeknownst to them Fenrir Greyback happened to be in the very woods they decided to go camping in. He was lucky to have survived the encounter, he could easily have been killed by Fenrir during the encounter had he not managed to get his wand out and throw a stun at him, which didn't do much except distract the werewolf long enough for him to get away. His parents knew what this would mean for him, and almost didn't let him go back to Hogwarts, but after his excessive pleas they finally relented, on the condition that he would be careful. Also study up on creating his own Wolfsbane potion. His parents did not want it to become public knowledge that their son had become a beast, and therefore they did not inform any of the teachers at Hogwarts of their son's transformation. _

Remus returned to Hogwarts for his fourth year, feeling anxious. They knew something, but telling them he was a werewolf now, he knew they would accept him, but saying it aloud would somehow make it real, you know?

He just wasn't ready. He knew some of the fourth years would pick it up. They had been studying about werewolves in Defence against the Dark Arts at the end of last year. He wasn't worried about James or Sirius, they always ended up copying his homework. They weren't stupid, they just preferred to focus on causing trouble instead of grades. He knew Evans was clever, and there was clearly a rivalry for her affections between James and Snape. At least it seemed that way, it was jealousy on James's part, but Remus wasn't sure Snape and Evans had a romantic connection.

As soon as he walked onto the platform and saw his friends, he forgot about his troubles for a while and just ended up being a kid, listening to the gossip and finding out what everyone had gotten up to over the summer. He saw Evans as she disappeared onto the train, speaking animatedly with Snape. Judging by the look on Snape's face, he was unhappy about how her summer had gone. Evans just seemed happy to be back with people who accepted her.

He knew she was Muggle-born and had heard her family was proud of having a witch in the family. Although her sister Petunia was jealous of her gift and teased her relentlessly, perhaps including some of Petunia's friends. He often looked at Evans, in his own way, being that she was often with Snape— who was the actual focus of his observations. He had some vibes with him but was hardly able to admit it though, his friends couldn't go two hours without insulting Snape.

His first night back, he couldn't sleep. He often borrowed James's cloak and the map they created, having finally managed to get it exactly right. They called it the Marauders' Map. Since he had the map and the invisibility cloak, he was pretty much guaranteed to not get caught out of bed.

James didn't ask why his friend was wandering around, he knew his friend would talk when he was ready to. When Remus checked the map during his wandering in the castle, he saw Snape was not walking around the Slytherin common room (as he usually did) but was out walking beside the lake. The two of them weren't enemies, even being Potions partners. Evans was paired with another girl in their year, and James and Sirius were basically inseparable.

He thought about it for a while more before considering this was as good a time as any to speak to Snape in private. As he walked down the corridors, the thought made him smile. He wanted to ask Snape to help him with his Wolfsbane Potion, Snape was by far the best in Potions of the year, perhaps even better than Professor Slughorn himself.

He didn't want to scare Snape into hexing him, so he removed the cloak before he walked up to him.

"Hey, Snape, wait up," He said. Snape instantly recognized the voice of his potions partner and relaxed somewhat.

"What's a goody-two-shoes like you doing out after hours?" he teased.

"Could ask you the same." He chipped back, falling into line with him walking down by the lake.

"What happened to you?" Severus asked him gently. He could tell there was something wrong as soon as he looked over to him on the train platform.

"I'm a…" He paused. "...werewolf now." He knew Severus had been the right one to tell first, when Severus suddenly pulled the other teen into a tight hug. After a second or two, they realized they shouldn't be hugging like that and let go.

"Sorry," he said blushing and Remus knew he was not apologizing because of the hug but because he was honestly worried about Remus. This made his heart soar; perhaps they could really be friends.

They talked for hours. Snape had said "Of course," when asked for help. "I'm honoured you asked me." A slight blush painting his pale cheeks. After they had agreed to meet again the next night, they said goodbye. "Goodnight, Remus," he said seriously, their hands lingering on the handshake before Remus chuckled.

"Don't be stupid." Remus said while their hands were clasped and using their linked hands to pull him in tight flush against his body for another hug.

It was quick, but Severus knew this meant something was coming for the two of them. If only his friends weren't complete twits, as well as homophobes. As he walked back to the castle, he thought about it. If people knew… he was already weird and awkward and called queer and nerdy often. Did he want to take the risk?

After a while the two teens started hanging out once a week. Often Remus would just leave the map with James, and that was how James noticed the two of them hanging out. James had seen them getting together at night and started easing off on the teasing. He was tired of it. If Remus liked Snape, and Lily was close to him, he would make peace with Snape and make a point of getting along with him, for Remus, of course.

Sirius knew it was truthfully about Lily but pretended to be blissfully ignorant. When Remus came out about the secret meetings and being a werewolf, his friends were very understanding. This was when they decided they couldn't let him go through those nights alone. They decided to become Animagi, even Peter Pettigrew, who was already sort of a pet to the circle of friends who followed the group around.

The Whomping Willow is only a sapling but still would deter nosy parkers from finding the new tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.

When Remus transformed his friends stayed far away, hearing him howl in pain, as it seemed like every bone in his body cracked for him to transform. They all knew better than to get close, even in their Animagus forms.

When he completed his transformation, he looked like a large wolf, only the abnormal colouring in his eyes showed his true nature. His fur was sandy brown, and James had made a painting of it from memory after the fact, which he gave to Remus, Remus kept it close. He saw the wonder in Severus's eyes when he showed it to him, and almost gave it to him right then. He decided to wait for the perfect time to give it to the other teen as a present.

This was how they came to be known as Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. James was the first one to extend the olive-branch to Snape.

"I was just being stupid, you know? I was honestly just jealous of your relationship with Lily." Snape nodded, proud of him for making peace for the sake of his friend. "After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? So, the friend of my friend must be my friend, or something." The entire group chuckled at this and the tension was diffused.

That night Remus was excited for his meeting with Severus, his excitement had not been subtle. Even his friends had noticed.

"Potion-time with Snape?" Sirius asked. Remus just nodded, not trusting his voice. He was planning on asking Severus if he was gay as he suspected.

They met in the classroom as usual, cauldron all set up and ready as he walked in. He had become addicted to touching the other male and moved in to hug him. It had sort of become a habit after that first night. He lingered a bit longer, taking in the smell of him, the smell of library books and potions ingredients and had to prevent a sigh as Severus let go.

"Any trouble getting here?" He asked, his face flushed.

"Never" Remus responded with a wink, making Snape blush even more. It was always so easy to read the other teens face. After a while of silence, he finally pulled the courage together to ask, it didn't mean anything had to change between them. They were close enough friends that he was sure he wouldn't come across as offensive.

"Uhm, Severus?" he said, both focused on the cauldron in front of them, avoiding each other's eyes.

"Yeah?" Severus responded.

"Are you… you know?" Remus stumbled over his words.

"You mean gay? Yeah."

"I am not surprised."

"You're not?" He responded finally looking up from the cauldron, an odd expression on his face.

"So am I." Remus said softly. "I notice you blush when I flirt, or the goose bumps when our hands touch, I see your eyebrows raise when I wink at you. I can tell most of what you feel on your face. You are a very expressive Slytherin."

They went back to silence, wondering what this could mean. Neither willing to break the new understanding. They weren't dating, but they both knew that the other felt something, and for now they just enjoyed that feeling.

Could they one day become more than friends? Remus was optimistic and Severus was cautious, only time would tell…


End file.
